i have a heart murmor called ventrical regurge, should i have been made to deploy to iraq?

Question

During my first few months of service I collapsed and now have a heart murmor. It was diagnosised as ventrical regurge. One ventricle in my heart doesn't close completely and allows blood to flow back into another chamber. They said it was because of drinking on the weekend . It was diagnosised after i complained of sharp chest pain and the doctor gave me echocardiogram and an ekg reading. The pyshican said my ekg was abnormal and if i was 30 he would have been worried. since then I have never gotten my wind back and it still never feels right in my chest. Every time I run it is in the back of my head that some thing might be wrong and that the stress of military life could be making things worse. Right as I was getting these test we were gearing up to deploy. And I suspect during peace time I would have been discharged but was unfairly kept to keep up unit strength.Should I have had to deploy, and when I get back should I see them and a civilian doctor again and fight for a discharge

Answer 1

First, I think you may have the name of the condition wrong. There is no such thing as ventricular regurgitation. There is mitral regurgitation, aortic regurgitation, pulmonic regurgitation, tricuspid regurgitation. Each represents a condition where the valve doesn't close completely. As far as whether it should keep you off duty, it depends on how bad it is. Typically though, if it's clinically bad it would prevent you from even mildy exerting yourself, you might develop shortness of breath, chest pain, etc. If you are able to run around without developing physical symptoms, odds are it isn't too bad.

Alternatively you might have a "ventricular septal defect". In this case, your valves are fine, but there's a small hole inside your heart that allows blood to go from one chamber to another. Whether it's a problem depends on how large the hole is. If it's a small hole, it probably doesn't matter, but a large hole could cause problems.

A few murmurs would be concerning for the chance of sudden death. These would include the one caused by Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy. That's usually what kills those young high school football players that never had any health problems and suddenly drop dead. I'm pretty sure they would not let you serve if that were the case.

Of course, many murmurs are completely innocent too, and have no impact. If I were you, I would get a copy of your echocardiogram to a civilian physician. He/she might be able to give you a second opinion.

And, I don't see how drinking on the weekends can cause a murmur-- murmurs are caused by physical defects in the valve, usually. Drinking alcohol should not affect the integrity of the valve.

Answer 2

I'm not a doctor but I can tell you why binge drinking can cause certain cardiac events. As the good doctor stated, drinking will not cause a genetic heart defect (valves included) but here's what drinking can do:
First of all, it dehydrates you placing undue stress on your heart by raising blood pressure. The electrolyte imbalance caused by dehydration and alcohol can also trigger many arrythmias (some of which are made worse by something like mitral valve prolapse..another valve condition). Between electrolyte imbalances, a higher pulse and higher blood pressure, it can cause a host of reactions 'the day after.' Google 'holiday heart' (not the film, the condition) and you'll see that many cardiac events occur after a night of drinking that are directly associated with alcohol and the dehydration that results from it.
I'm surprised the doctor wouldn't mention this. It's always a bad idea for cardiac patients to 'binge' as the results can be something like what you experienced.
As for being discharged, it completely hinges on what percentage of regurgitation you're getting from that valve. Most people have the common 'mitral valve prolapse.' Even though each individual has his or her own amount of regurgitation associated with the condition, some experience symptoms and some do not. It appears that some individuals are more 'in tune' with smaller symptoms (not speaking of more serious problems like a syncoptic episode...fainting) but more like 'lightheadedness or dizzyness, nervousness, etc.)
Definitely get all your lab reports, test results and whatever notes the attending physician recorded and have a good cardiologist give them a good look over.
If you want some reading that relates, google 'mvp syndrome' and you may recognize some of your symptoms in there...hopefully, it's something this benign.
Either way, you probably shouldn't have been deployed AT THE VERY least until it's been checked out and you are symptom free. Good luck...find a good cardiologist...it'll put your mind at ease. Don't worry about the 'Sudden Death' events you hear about. They're in fact, very, very rare and mostly occur in those with elongated aortas (generally, tall, thin people....that's why you hear so many stories about basketball players having it) and if you had a birth defect, it would have been detected during a routine echocardiogram. I have a feeling you'll lead a very normal life but also the feeling that you shouldn't be under serious stress of combat or the stress of war.
Best of luck to you; I wish you the best for a safe return home.

Answer 3

In a short answer, no you shouldn't have deployed and yes, you should fight for discharge not alot of civilian jobs can put the amount of stress on someone like the good old military.

In along answer you do have some other things to think about.
1.) You said that you collapsed and now have a heart murmur. In all reality you probably always had the heart murmur but your body was pushed and it surfaced due to the amount of activity. Thats fine and you still should get disability as long as they didnt catch it while you were in MEPS. Its called EPTS. Existed Prior To Service. If thats the case and they did document your heart murmur and put you in anyway due to achieving numbers for recruitment then you should be good.
2. Make sure that you have a good case with well doumented evidence that it wasn't there before you joined. I.E. Civilian medical record.
3. Make sure that you build up a strong case before you take it to a Medical review board.

Answer 4

As a spouse of a husband that served our nation, I am very disillusioned that this was once a query. To effectively positioned it, HELL NO. First, your husband is combating for each and every freedom you will have as a citizen of the United States. He faces hazard obvious and unseen. You ought to inspiration or sympathy what he is going via. Not best, is he below assault bodily, but in addition mentally. My husband now has PTSD. I even consider that you simply on the grounds that dishonest is HEARTLESS! Apparently, your marriage vows did not imply very so much to you or did they? It's now not approximately whether or not he reveals out. It's approximately doing what is correct. You are the one character that ought to reside with you. May God preserve our infantrymen!

Answer 5

It's congenital (you were born with it). Drinking did not cause it but excess alcohol will aggravate the condition. I would suggest that you see a qualified civilian cardiologist at your earliest opportunity. As for your question about deploying or not showing up, you have to consider the effect of a courts martial should you fail to appear without valid reason.

Answer 6

I personally would fight to get a medical discharge, but then again I'd never want to be in the military. You just have to do what you feel you need to

Answer 7

You were crazy to join the lying Bush gang's lost cause in the first place. What were you thinking, signing up to go trespass and stomp doors down and shoot up anything that moves, so that big oil can all live like kings? You've ruined your life. Now you will be run like a dog by the military until you die. Yeah, you should fight for a discharge. Good luck, you'll need it.

Answer 8

You should not be in the military at all. Is there any process available to you to appeal for a medical discharge? You should have been discharged for medical purposes.

Answer 9

al_ju_2000 is 100% correct.